Unfortunately, that’s exactly what makes it so easy to cross the line.

In #1 New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher’s Cold Case, Molly Carpenter—Harry Dresden’s apprentice-turned-Winter Lady—must collect a tribute from a remote Fae colony and discovers that even if you’re a good girl, sometimes you have to be bad...

New York Times bestselling author Seanan McGuire’s Sleepover finds half-succubus Elsie Harrington kidnapped by a group of desperate teenage boys. Not for anything “weird.” They just need her to rescue a little girl from the boogeyman. No biggie.

In New York Times bestselling Kevin J. Anderson’s Eye of Newt, Zombie P.I. Dan Shamble’s latest client is a panicky lizard missing an eye who thinks someone wants him dead. But the truth is that someone only wants him for a very special dinner...

And New York Times bestselling author Rob Thurman’s infernally heroic Caliban Leandros takes a trip down memory lane as he deals wih some overdue—and nightmarish—vengeance involving some quite nasty Impossible Monsters.

Jim Butcher’s has Molly Carpenter in “Cold Case,” once apprentice of Harry Dresden and now, the Winter Lady, a queen of Faerie. Mab has her going to a contingent of Faerie in Unalaska, Alaska, to get tribute. She runs into wizard and Warden of the White Council Carlos Ramirez in a dive in the town. He was sent to investigate odd activity in the town. And when Molly finds her fae, they tell her of their stolen children that she goes to save, along with Carlos. Right into danger of Lovecraftian proportions.

In “Sleepover” by Seanan McGuire, a not completely human heroine, Elsie Harrington, (her other half being succubus) is abducted by a Bigfoot hunter for a bunch of teen boys because a Bogeyman took a young sister of one of them. So she heads underground to retrieve the child.

Vicki, the vampire P.I. in Tanya Huff’s “If Wishes Were” has her working to find a jinn and stop it, get it back in the lamp it had been let loose from.

In “Solus” by Anton Stout, two agents from the Department of Extraordinary investigate a castle on top of a skyscraper in New York City that may be haunted by a ghost.

Kat Richardson’s Peacock in “Peacock in Hell” is hired to bring back Lennie Redmayne from Hell.

In Kevin J. Anderson’s “Eye of Newt,” undead P.I. Dan Shamble is hired by a one-eyed newt to find out why a rock monster and a golem robbed him of his eye.

Jessie Shimmer and her ferret familiar search for a girl named Alice and what may have hatched from an egg inside a statue of Santa Muerte in “What Dwells Within” by Lucy A Snyder.

In “Hunter, Healer” by Jim C. Hines, Julia Chapel tends to otherworldly beings who come to her apartment hurt or ill, no questions asked, no wars allowed on her turf. She is assisted by a hearth fairy named Hob who cusses lie a sailor (actually refreshing, giving him a bit of odd character). Most of all, she is a double soul-her dead twin’s soul inhabits her body with her soul. Someone from her past, her father, Terrance, comes to visit her, asking for her help- with another double soul like her. But she doesn’t trust him, and not due to their past. Then she meets the deadly Shard for the first time.

Vivienne Cain, aka Lady Vengeance, a former demon-possessed supervillain and now a super hero drinks to keep her fear powers in control in “Baggage” by Erik Scott De Bie. She joins a fight gym and one night stops a guy hitting on the young woman behind the front desk.

In Sales Force by Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Kaylee, loses her fiancée due to a car accident. He had promised they be forever, but death took that away. So, she goes back to her job, one she never told him what she did. But it would help her, as killing something day in and out can numb those feelings, so she’d never get hurt again. Except the job she is assigned first day back isn’t quite what she has always done. They want her to see if a love potion guaranteeing someone giving up on love 0r lost too much in life could have their belief repaired.

In the last dark tale, “Impossible Monsters” by Rob Thurman, Caliban came from the first murderers to walk the earth. Except there’s more beneath his human-looking skin. As he planned to let Coach know it.

Nothing is black or white, but again, that makes the hero/heroine a complex character and each story a great autumn read.

by Faith HunterNovember 1st 2016 by Roc352 pagesSet in the same world as Faith Hunter’s New York Timesbestselling Jane Yellowrock novels, the second Soulwood novel tells the story of a woman whose power comes from deep within the earth...

Before Nell Ingram met skinwalker Jane Yellowrock, she had no one to rely on, finding strength only in in her arcane connection to the dark woods around her. But now she has friends in the newly-formed PsyLED team to keep her grounded—even if being part of the agency responsible for policing paranormals presents dangers of its own...

After training at the PsyLED academy, Nell returns home to her woods to find the land feeling sick and restless. And that sickness is spreading. With the help of her team, under the leadership of agent Rick LaFleur, Nell tries to determine the cause. But nothing can prepare them for the evil that awaits: an entity that feeds on death itself. And it wants more.

Book two picks up after Nell has finished Spook School. She's just gotten home when the team is put on a case that could have dire consequences for the paranormal community's fragile relationship with humans. Nell also has her own problems in her land. The dark presence from book one is still there, but something else has started to grow. And if that wasn't enough crazy for the gang...the full moon is here and half their team will be going furry, including their leader Rick who has he own set of problems.

There is so much—plot-wise— going on in this book. I'm amazed Hunter could keep it all straight! The paranormal mystery Nell and friends need to solve is full of twists and proof Hunter's imagination is a scary place indeed. Nell and the reader learn more about her powers and that of her land. I can't talk about the plot because...spoilers!This isn't an easy read. You have to pay attention to keep up, there is a lot going on and skimming any part might leave you lost. If you prefer books more like a hearty beef stew than a salad then you will enjoy this.There is some fun humor too:"Gear up how?" T. Laine asked."As in weapons and unis and the psy-meter 2.0. As in any magical tricks, trinkets and magic wand. Take a frigging Quidditch broom if you got one. Soul says someone is flying.""What happened to the bulldozer?" I asked."We think the tree ate it."

Faith Hunter, fantasy writer, was born in Louisiana and raised all over the south. She writes three Urban Fantasy series: the Skinwalker series, featuring Jane Yellowrock, a Cherokee skinwalker who hunts rogue vampires. The Soulwood series, featuring earth magic user Nell Ingram. And the Rogue Mage novels, a dark, urban, post-apocalyptic, fantasy series featuring Thorn St. Croix, a stone mage. (There is a role playing game based on the series, ROGUE MAGE.)

Under the pen name Gwen Hunter, she writes action-adventure, mysteries, and thrillers. As Faith and Gwen, she has 30+ books in print in 29 countries.

Hunter writes full-time, tries to keep house, and is a workaholic with a passion for travel, jewelry making, white-water kayaking, and writing. She and her husband love to RV, traveling with their rescued Pomeranians to whitewater rivers all over the Southeast.

21 October 2016 (USA)Jack Reacher must uncover the truth behind a major government conspiracy in order to clear his name. On the run as a fugitive from the law, Reacher uncovers a potential secret from his past that could change his life forever.

Went to see Jack Reacher with my husband because he loved the first one. This was probably one of the most predictable movies I've seen. I could repeat the dialogue before the characters even said it. It was one big action movie cliche. No surprises at all. I really can't think of any reason to see this at the theater. Wait for the DVD. Unless you are a big Cruise fan. It isn't a bad movie...just generic.My husband gave it 3.5 sheep. I give it...3 "I'm the sheep you didn't count on."

Glory (Book One in the Glory MC series)by Ana JoleneSeptember 13, 2016285 pagesGenre: New Adult dystopian romanceNineteen year old, India Beaumont has bipolar II disorder. Living in a world where solar flares have reshaped society, she must fight to survive in Ward Four where the only people thriving are part of an exclusive motorcycle club. Glory MC don’t play well with strangers but when Indy manages to land a job as a bartender at their clubhouse, she gets the fresh start she’s always dreamed of. While everyone else is focused on the flares, no one will be paying attention to her or the disorder she means to keep from everyone.

The president’s son, Ian Haste, is the first to zero-in on her, seeming to sense the kindred spirit that she desperately hides. As secretary and treasurer of Glory MC, Hastie is exactly who Indy needs to avoid, but the reckless lifestyle he lives may also be the one thing that helps him understand her better than anyone else.

As tensions rise between Ward leaders, Indy’s secret threatens to be exposed before she is ready, and with only pieces of the puzzle, Hastie doesn’t know what to believe. When he finally discovers the secret she’s been hiding, will Hastie still be able to love her or will he deem her too crazy even for him?

Excerpt:IndyIt wasn’t everyday that you walked into hell. Today the doors were wide open, encouraging people foolish enough, like me, to enter. The sound of heavy metal music poured from unseen speakers and much like I’d expected it to be, it was hot in here. Scorching, really. But so far, there was no brimstone or devil in sight.

“Can I help you?” a voice called out. I turned to face the woman behind the bar, eyeing her golden skin and shock of bright red hair. If word on the street was right then she had to be the owner of this little dive bar. “Hellooo,” she said as I stared at her. “Are you lost?”

Lost? I wish I were. But I’d actually come here on purpose. “Are you the boss around here?”

“Depends on who’s asking.”

“I’m India,” I said, holding out a hand. “But people call me Indy.”

A brow shot up to her hairline. “You got a last name, India?”

Crap. This was why I hated meeting new people. They always asked too many damn questions. When I took too long to answer, the owner started walking away.

“Hey, hold on.” I quickly jumped into the nearest stool at the bar. “Can I get a drink?” The owner paused, turning slowly. Sharp eyes assessed me from head to bust. By her body language and the way she moved cautiously around me, she clearly didn’t trust me. “Are you just going to ignore a customer?” I asked when she continued to analyze me.

Thankfully, the redhead took the bait and tipped her chin at me. “What do you want?”

Anything really. I didn’t care. “Why don’t you surprise me?”

In record time, a drink was placed before me. I sipped at it, nodding as my taste buds did a little dance. At least now I had the liquid courage to do what I came here to do. No more excuses.

The owner leaned into the bar, now more comfortable with my presence. “Well, Indy. Now that you have your drink, why don’t you tell me what brings you to this fine establishment?”

Fine was a relative word. The dive bar we were in had seen better days. Sunlight poured in through the open windows, illuminating the bar instead of electrical lights. Four hours ago, another solar flare had hit us, knocking out all electrical power for an unknown period of time. As heat swarmed over us, everyone ran for cover, staying indoors where the lethal rain of radioactive sun sparks couldn’t reach us. With no electricity though, people had to make do with the harsh sunlight. Many opted to remain in the dark for the sake of cooling off when things got too hot to handle.

Six years ago, the first set of solar flares hit us, purging the world of buildings, land, and people. The human population thinned considerably as several waves hit us without warning. The world as we knew it had ceased to exist. There was no government. No ruling queen, no power structures, which left big opportunities for new rulers to take control and new societies to form. It would’ve been nice to have a little democracy, but who was I kidding? That would never happen. We lived in a greedy world and the more you had, the better off you were. Those who survived the initial blasts were forced to acclimate to the dry, humid air and learn a new way of living. Every so often another solar flare would occur, making us worry if this wave would be the one to take us all out.

I wiped a bead of sweat that gathered on my forehead with the back of my palm. These days, the desert heat was so thick it was like breathing in sludge. “I’d like to apply for a job,” I said, meeting the woman’s gaze head on.

She paused in the middle of wiping down the bar top to gave me a suspicious look. I stared right back. I wasn’t going to be deterred. I needed this job too much to give up simply because she was using her kung-fu intimidation tricks. Blue capable eyes examined me from head to torso as if she was totaling my worth right there on the spot. “Are you even old enough to work?” she finally asked.

“More than old enough,” I assured her. “I’m nineteen.”

“You don’t look like it.”

With a slim build and a heart-shaped face, most people thought I was younger than I really was. “Trust me, I am. And if I wasn’t, you’d have just given alcohol to a minor.”

The look she gave me told me that probably wasn’t the best move. Especially considering that I was asking her to hire me. But all she did was shrug her shoulders. “Who’s going to punish me?”

“You’ve got a point there,” I said on a laugh. Without government, there was no police. And since there was no police, there weren’t many people who cared about who you sold alcohol to. “So what do you say, are you looking to hire?”

As the owner leaned into the bar, the low V of her top dipped low to reveal some cleavage. “Do you know what kind of bar this is?” she whispered.

“I know this place has the best collection of alcohol in Ward Four.” But Neptune’s wasn’t just any old dive bar. It was widely known that the most badass and dangerous of all motorcycle clubs, Glory MC, used Neptune’s as their clubhouse.

Redhead snorted. “No need for the compliments. I already know that. I’m asking you if you know what you’re getting yourself into.”

My smile disappeared. “I know the risks.” I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t already aware. Glory MC weren’t just wannabe bikers. They were the real deal. And they didn’t mess around. And yet, here I was, hoping to land a job that would put me in the line of fire on a daily basis. Live fast. Die young. Be stupid enough to put yourself in a dangerous club’s way? Yup, that was me. Desperation kind of made you stupid.

“And you still want to work here?”

I laughed at the clear disbelief in her voice. “Look, I’m young and have a lot of energy. I’m willing to clean up after people and I can start right away. I need this job.”

Redhead leaned back, still eyeing me like we were in the midst of a staring contest. Game on. If this is what was needed of me to get this job, I could lock eyes with her all day.

Seconds passed and when she blinked, I knew I had won. “So?” I prompted. “Think you can take me on as a bartender? I’ve got the experience.”

The woman rolled her eyes. “God, you’re a pushy one. Do you ever take no for an answer?”

“What can I say? I’m persistent.”

“Annoying is what I would call it.”

Good. The corners of my lips tipped up. She was bantering with me now. I was making some ground. I could feel it. “Most people like a little initiative from their employees,” I shot back. “Come on, when’s the last time someone came in here to offer some help?” My guess? Never.

On a sigh, Redhead nodded. “Fine. You want a job, you’ve got it. Glory MC is riding in in fifteen minutes. Let’s go on back and we’ll see how well you can handle yourself.” The smile she shot me was all teeth.

Momentarily taken aback that my tactic worked, I mentally high-fived myself as I followed her through to the back of the bar and into a small office. “Wear this,” she said, tossing something at me over her shoulder.

I looked down at the fabric she gave me and blinked in surprise. “What is this?” Balled up, it looked like a rag.

“It’s a shirt, darling.”

“You call this a shirt?”

She laughed. “It says Neptune’s on it, doesn’t it? You wanna work here? You wear that every day and learn how to work the bar.”

I probably couldn’t even fit one arm let alone my entire torso in the thing, but if that was what it took . . . “Aye aye, captain,” I muttered. Removing the tank top I wore, I slipped into the tight T-shirt. The fit was snug and accentuated my boobs to its fullest, which was a big deal since my rack was not packing the same heat as Redhead over here.

She eyed me down, her satisfied smile telling me what she thought of my appearance. Her hand shot out. “Name’s Hanna by the way.”

“It’s a pleasure to work with you, Hanna.”

She snorted. “You won’t be saying that after your first shift.”

“When is that anyway?”

“Right now.”

I frowned. “Aren’t there some papers I need to sign first or something?”

“That’s later. You’re on clean up duty for the rest of the day. Once your shift is over, come by here later to sign your papers.”

Wait. Clean up? “But I thought I was hired for a bartender gig!”

Red tendrils danced around her face as she shook her head. “Nope.”

“But I—”

“No.” Hanna stepped forward, shooting me with a look that silenced me. “I’m the boss so I’ll decide when you can work the bar, got it?”

“Fine,” I gritted. Something suddenly told me this wasn’t going to be as easy as I thought.

Shooting me another smile, Hanna flipped her hair up into a high ponytail and swept out of the room. The sudden deep rumbling of engines sounded outside and I froze, knowing what that meant.

Ana Jolene is the author of the Glory MC series, a New Adult Dystopian and the Contemporary Romance series, Moonrise Beach.

Growing up as a rebellious kid didn’t allow for much reading time. It wasn’t until she was in university that she found her passion for books and has since then devoured every book placed before her. Ana holds a B.A. in Psychology and has worked in both IT and Administration. But she’s had the most fun in the bookish world, working as a reviewer, columnist and assistant to multiple sites and authors.

Ana currently lives in Toronto with her family and an extremely lazy Shih Tzu whom she adores. To learn more about Ana and her books, please visit www.anajolene.com and subscribe to the newsletter to be notified of the hottest new releases and giveaways!

If you are easily offended, then this is NOT the book for you. Please put it down and back away slowly. However, if you have a warped sense of humor, please read on. In the town of Lost Hope, Florida reside two heroes unlike any others. These champions of justice go by the names of Snafu Fubar and General Nuisance. Nightly they patrol their fine city to protect it from evil's grasp. And by 'patrol' we mean they sit on a porch, appropriately nicknamed 'The Fucking Nuisance Cave', drinking beers, smoking cigars, and talking about sex.

websiteBob Dixon is a two-time Guinness World Record holder for the World's Longest Cartoon Strip. He is the author and creator of a number of comic book titles for Pocket Change Comics, including Assassinette: The Mind Stalker, Psyco Duck, Jester's Dead, The Holy Knight, Riplash, Shadow Slasher, and Warzone 3719. Bob has written two children books, Rooty the Tree Troll and Holiday Bunny; two young adult books, Mouch and Company: The Dream Psychic and Rags and Ruins; An adult humor book Snafu Fubar : Nothing Heroic; and is the co-author of Will Jones' biography A Tough Call. Bob is also the Writer/Director of the movie Dr. Prozak's Office. Additionally, he is a certified special education teacher who works with children who have autism and intellectual delays.

Saturday, October 29, 2016

128 pgs./ T+ / FC $14.99Action Lab Entertainment: Danger ZoneWhen Jessica is mistaken for the vigilante taking out the Ambidrex 20, Addison disobeys her grandfather's order to save her friend. The event leads Addison down a dark path from which she may not recover, however, as her attempt at heroism leads to a monstrous conclusion instead.I was enthralled with the first volume, but volume two blew me away on so many levels. Goodwin has taken the "Magical Girl" genre and turned it inside out (heehee, if you've read this you know what I'm talking about) into a psychological and visual horror story. The author is not afraid to go "there." Addison is one of the most brutal vigilantes in the comic book world.Yeah, I'm being kind of vague because there are many pieces to the story that the author is slowly letting us in on and there are spoilers galore. Don't want to ruin the gruesome surprises. There are new players in the game now and we have to wait and see how Addison handle's them.The composition of the panels is brilliant. So many subtle things are conveyed to the reader. Some of the panels come as close to a jump scare as you can with a comic. I was excited for and dreaded what would happen next. The cover art is absolutely beautiful.Review: Tomboy Vol. 1: Divine Intervention TPB5 "I'm the monster" Sheep

With her secrets uncovered and her power-mad brother bent on her execution, Princess Oria has no sanctuary left. Her bid to make herself and her new barbarian husband rulers of walled Bára has failed. She and Lonen have no choice but to flee through the leagues of brutal desert between her home and his—certain death for a sorceress, and only a bit slower than the blade.

A Race Against Time

At the mercy of a husband barely more than a stranger, Oria must war with her fears and her desires. Wild desert magic buffets her; her husband’s touch allures and burns. Lonen is pushed to the brink, sure he’s doomed his proud bride and all too aware of the restless, ruthless pursuit that follows…

A Danger Beyond Death…

Can Oria trust a savage warrior, now that her strength has vanished? Can Lonen choose her against the future of his people? Alone together in the wastes, Lonen and Oria must forge a bond based on more than lust and power, or neither will survive the test…

Oria held the barrier against her raging brother.At least, she did the best she could with her magic draining by the moment, its potency attenuating with distance and diminishing with the lack of opportunity to replenish her sgath—or to even take a full breath. Of course, her upside-down position, bouncing over Lonen’s shoulder as he ran headlong through the palace, did nothing to make any of it easier.“We may be in luck,” Chuffta, her Familiar, reported. “Yar’s magic is running low also. He’s sent for more priestesses to feed him sgath, as Gallia can’t.” He paused to mentally cough at that. Oria’s Familiar had also telepathically received Gallia’s urgent message for them to run. As Yar’s wife—particularly a newlywed in a temple-blessed marriage—only Gallia should be feeding Yar sgath to fight the magical barrier Oria had erected to save herself from execution, and Lonen from retribution. But Gallia had only recently arrived in Bára and, unused to the city’s native magic, so different from her home at Lousá, she had not reached her full power.But Gallia was stronger than she’d claimed. As a sister in magic, Oria could judge quite precisely how much Gallia had been capable of channeling. Oria’s new sister had exaggerated her weakness—in a move shockingly disloyal to her new husband and against all expectation—to allow Oria to escape. If all went well, Yar would never discover the deception. Between his unstable temper and Gallia’s status in Bára, that could turn out badly for her sister sorceress. Hopefully, she’d take Oria’s advice and appeal to her and Yar’s mother, the former Queen Rhianna, for assistance.“I can’t imagine Priest Vico will allow other priestesses to feed sgath to Yar. It’s against temple law if his ideal wife is alive and well,” she replied to Chuffta.“Yes, but it depends on what Vico considers to be ‘well.’”She framed a reply—speaking mentally took concentration—then grunted in pain as Lonen ducked around a corner, the sudden shift in direction making his shoulder dig into her belly. It looked so much more romantic in the illustrations. In reality, being carried off over a barbarian’s shoulder left much to be desired.“Sorry,” Lonen shot the word out between panting breaths. “Unavoidable.”She didn’t reply. Couldn’t. It would be handy if she and Lonen could speak mind-to-mind the way she could with Chuffta—and unexpectedly with Gallia—particularly under circumstances like this. He might not like it, though. At the moment, all of his considerable personal energy was focused away from her, no doubt on fighting them free of Bára. At least that saved her having to screen out his emotions along with everyone else’s.“You are correct,” Chuffta reported from his vantage, flying well above Yar’s group. Her Familiar seemed to be enjoying his spy activities. “They are arguing about it. Yar is most put out. He’s losing focus and less able to fight your barrier. Vico is gently suggesting he check his hwil, which has not gone over well.” No, Yar would not do well with the suggestion that he might be showing any loss of the crucial equanimity that allowed the priests and priestesses of Bára to handle their dangerously powerful magic. Loss of hwil could be grounds for the temple taking back the mask that was their badge of office. With no mask, Yar could not be king. Could she somehow use that to her advantage—push Yar into losing hwil entirely?“No, Oria.” Chuffta’s mind-voice was both sorrowful and deadly earnest. “Without your mask, you cannot be queen either. And now that they know you can use grien, your life would be forfeit, regardless. It’s not worth the risk.”It might be, though. If only to save Bára and Dru both from the devastation that would be Yar’s rule.“I won’t let you sacrifice yourself. Neither will Lonen,” Chuffta added.“I’m already regretting that I encouraged you two to become friends,” she grumbled.

About the Author:

website-FB-twitter-blogJeffe Kennedy is an award-winning author whose works include non-fiction, poetry, short fiction, and novels. She has been a Ucross Foundation Fellow, received the Wyoming Arts Council Fellowship for Poetry, and was awarded a Frank Nelson Doubleday Memorial Award. Her essays have appeared in many publications, including Redbook.

Genre: Comedy Runtime: 101 minutes Studio: 20th Century FoxA suburban couple becomes embroiled in an international espionage plot when they discover that their seemingly perfect new neighbors are government spies.Went to see Keeping Up With the Joneses with my husband and 15 year old daughter. We all enjoyed the movie. Lots of laugh out loud moments. While there was some action, I wouldn't rank this as an action movie. The pace was steady and just this side of slow. It was well acted and Zach Galifianakis is actually charming instead of the usual creepy and annoying characters.This movie is worth a matinee price if you are looking for something to see on a rainy day, but you won't miss out much by waiting to see it on DVD.3.5 "one...two..." Sheep

Of Flame and Light: A Weird Girls Novelby Cecy RobsonOctober 18, 2016369 pagesTaran Wird holds the unique ability to conjure fire and lightning. She is mated to Gemini, Second in Command to the Squaw Valley Pack of the Lake Tahoe Region, and the sole werewolf to possess the ability to split into two wolves. And although they are mates, Taran's insecurities have driven them apart.

Devastated by an injury that left her with a zombie-like limb, Taran struggles to regain command over her magic. But when her arm and her power turn against her, lashing out on those she most loves, she knows she can no longer carry this burden alone. Not that she likes the alternative.

The only way to regain control of her magic is to align and learn from the local coven of witches―the very ones who sought to banish her when she and her three unique sisters first moved to the mystical region. But although Taran is trying, the teachings don't come easy, and the tasks leave her weak and emotionally shattered.

Yet Taran must learn and learn fast. Time is running out. The fire she once mastered so easily has become her greatest adversary and is now slowly burning her alive.

I groan as I roll onto my back. I’d like to say this is the first time I’ve been knocked unconscious. I’d also like to say my boobs are the same size, but hey, such is my life.

Dirt. All I sense is that and dank heaviness that accompanies a . . . cave? Through the fog taking up residency along my brain, I make out a dim glow. It takes me a moment to realize it’s coming from my light-saber arm. I push up on my hands, grimacing when my fingers sink into the soil. Yet it’s what I see when I glance up that has me scrambling to my feet.

A lonely hand scuttles by me, chasing after a rat. Oh, but it gets better. I press my back against a dirt wall as a foot hops by, chasing after the hand, that’s chasing after the rat, with a decapitated head rolling —I shit you not—merrily behind them.

It’s like some kind of fucked up nursery rhyme. I don’t want to know the next verse, especially not with the collection of zombies gathering from all sides. These are different from the ones who pulled us onto shore. Their grisly faces are more emaciated and their bodies are in a more advance stage of decomposing. As they shuffle toward me, pieces of their skin fall in small moist clumps.

I hold out my hand. “Stay back.”

They collectively moan.

And move closer.

I grit my teeth, summoning that spark from deep in my core. The dank air seems to enclose around me, giving me a chill and snuffing out my inner heat.

Shit, shit, shit.

On wobbly legs, I slide my back against the dirt wall, my hands out. The zombies gather closer, cocking their heads, their empty sockets mesmerized by the glow of my arm. At first, I think they’re simply curious. But then their short thick tongues push forward, appearing to lick what’s left of their lips.

I jump when another hand scrambles by, its pinky brushing against my foot. My back presses against the dirt wall as I slide against it. I’m not sure where to go. I only know I can’t stay here.

I bang my fists against the wall, trying to stimulate my fire. My left hand doesn’t react, tensing uselessly. But that spark I so need triggers from my right arm, igniting flames along the path of my blue veins only to putter out.

Come on, light.

About the Author:Website -FB-TwitterGoodreadsCecy Robson is an award-winning author of magical realms, to-die-for Alpha heroes, and young adult adventure. A double RITA® 2016 finalist for Once Pure and Once Kissed, and published author of more than fifteen titles, you can typically find her on her laptop or stumbling blindly in search of caffeine.

GIVEAWAY

Enter to Win the Ultimate Weird Girls Prize Pack, including a Coach® purse stuffed with an autographed copy of Sealed with a Curse, an audiobook of A CURSED EMBRACE, t-shirts, a water bottle, magnets, signed postcards, pins, and bookmarks.

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Fiction writers spend most of their time making things up and hoping they can make you believe it. In short, we tell lies for a living.

We create new worlds and populate them with all manners of man and beast. We devise belief systems, governments, social traditions, and every antagonist we can come up for them.

When we do our job right, we can fool readers into believing these people and places are real. Diehard readers lead to fandoms and all the beautiful trappings of mania…memes and 'ships and Funco Pop and Instagram posts galore…

I love to see readers go crazy for their favorite books. I love to see the ways they pay homage to the characters they've come to love. I love to read the thoughtful, ranting, obsessed articles and status updates they use to express the feels those books give them.

I love readers who love books.

But did you know that these forms of devotion aren't limited to raving fans? A lot of authors get caught up in it, too, because after years of writing their books, they start to think they're real, too.

I once read an article about an author who admitted to shopping for gifts for her characters. I thought it was so sweet…but I never thought I'd do anything like it.

Until I met my werewolf rock star, Dierk Adeluf.

Turn of the Wheel is an all-Were heavy metal band from Germany. We meet them in one of The Books of the Demimonde, WOLF'S BANE. When I wrote the story, I had to get the band together.

But I didn't just name the characters and decide what instrument they played.

I gave them history. I wrote their songs. And, in true homage to every one of my favorite rock bands, I made concert shirts.

Any self-respecting teen of the 80s had a wardrobe full of band shirts. My husband and I have saved a shirt from every show we've ever seen…and that's a closet full of concert memories. This is my favorite one, though…from a band that doesn't exist.

Or…does it? I swear they do, somewhere. This concert shirt is all the proof I need!

Marek Thurzo is no little black cloud; he's a maelstrom. Marek is Demivampire, a race with the potential to evolve into vampire. A warrior who's taken his share of spiritual damage, he hovers dangerously close to destruction.

He seeks salvation. She's driven to save him. But what if he can't be saved?

Sympathy for his plight becomes true empathy as Sophie's hidden nature is revealed. Marek suspects she may be one of the Sophia, oracle and redemption of the damned Demivampire. She alone can turn back the evolutionary clock.

All she needs is the courage to face her fears. Can she save him from Falling?

Advice columnist and newly-appointed oracle to the demivampire, Sophie Galen has more issues than a Cosmo collection: a new mentor with a mean streak, a werewolf stalker she can't shake, and a relationship with her ex's family that redefines the term complicated. And then there's her ex himself, who is more interested in playing leader of the vampire pack than in his own salvation.

Becoming a better oracle is tough enough, but when Sophie encounters a deadly enemy - one she never dreamed of facing - it will take everything she's ever learned in order to survive.

Wolf's Bane (Demimonde Book Three)by Ash KraftonGenre: urban fantasyPublisher: Ash KraftonOctober 13, 2016ISBN: 978-1-946120-02-1ASIN: B01MA3JHUVNumber of pages: 388Word Count: 104kCover Artist: Red Fist FictionSince becoming oracle to the demivampire two years ago, advice columnist Sophie has battled werewolves and survived a vampire attack (or two). However, not only was she powerless to save her lover Marek when he slipped to the brink of evolution, she also witnessed his transformation into a falcon, the symbol of Horus United.

Sophie’s quest to save Marek is further complicated when rock star Dierk Adeluf – who also happens to be the king of the Werekind – invites her backstage after a concert. Just when it seems she will find respite from heartache, Sophie is bitten by a werewolf and Dierk decides she is destined to be his queen.

Sophie is caught between the demivamps she loves and the Were who commands her to love him. Throw in his jealous wanna-be girlfriend—a true bitch if ever there was one—and an ambush by witches, and there you have the big mess that Sophie calls her life. And, hello? Her soul mate is still a bird.

website-FB-twitterInstagram-Pingoodreads-blogAsh Krafton writes because if she doesn't, her kids will…and NOBODY wants that. A speculative fiction girl through and through, Ash writes paranormal romance and urban fantasy novels as well as poetry and short fiction. Her work has won a bunch of awards and was even nominated for a Pushcart Prize. When she's not writing, she's practicing Tai Chi, listening to loud rock and metal, or crushing on supervillains.

Most recently, she's re-released her urban fantasy trilogy THE BOOKS OF THE DEMIMONDE because she never really left the world of Sophie and her Demivamps.

Rated PG-13 for drug use and references, suggestive content, language, some horror images and thematic material

Madea winds up in the middle of mayhem when she spends a haunted Halloween fending off killers, paranormal poltergeists, ghosts, ghouls and zombies while keeping a watchful eye on a group of misbehaving teens.

I really should have known better, but the trailer looked so funny. So me and my 15 year old daughter went to see it. There are some hilarious parts, but Medea spent most of the movie preaching about how disrespectful teenagers are how parents need to be parents to their kids, not their friends. I agreed with what she was saying for the most part, but I was there to laugh. The acting was horrendous...except for Tyler Perry. I do love the Medea character...in small doses...like a trailer <G>.

If you get a chance to see this for free somewhere, then watch it. It does have some crazy moments.Holly gives it 3 sheep